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Speaking at the Golden Chopsticks Awards at the Marriott Hotel in London's Mayfair, Hom acknowledges the popularity of the programme and others like it.

'People like sweets so it appeals to that,' he tells me. But that, he adds, is all the more reason to reject them.

'Sugar is very addictive. They say it is more addictive than heroin. I don't eat sugar. I am 70 in two days and I am not having anything sweet for my birthday. I don't eat sweets.'

Hom, who was raised by his mother in Chicago after his father died when he was just eight months old, became an international sensation when he was chosen by the BBC to present Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery.

The book which accompanied the series sold more than 1.5 million copies, making it one of the BBC's greatest best-sellers.

Ken, who survived prostate cancer in 2010, acknowledges that he is not one of Bake Off's 7.5 million viewers.

'I don't watch cookery shows because I don't have time,' he explains.

Anyone thinking this is sour grapes should think again: he first voiced his warnings about sugar 15 years ago, declaring it 'a poison — instant gratification without long-term benefits'.

Who better than model-turned-motor enthusiast Jodie Kidd to lead an all-female car race?

The 40-year-old turned heads in London this week when she wore a bright red jumpsuit for the launch of a four-day charity road trip from the capital to Monte Carlo.

She was accompanied by fellow former model Lilly Becker, who is in the middle of an acrimonious divorce from Wimbledon champion Boris.

The 42-year-old brunette squatted in perilously high patterned stilettos, with her overalls cinched at the waist, emblazoned with half of the charity's name, Cash & Rocket, on the back.

Joining them ahead of the trip, which takes place in June, is heiress Chloe Green, the 28-year-old daughter of roly-poly retail tycoon Sir Philip.

Jodie has a good chance at winning the race, having failed her first driving test due to speeding.

'I was slightly heavy right-footed,' she admits.

How Olivia hides her Oscar away

Olivia Colman hides her Academy Award

Academy Award-winner Olivia Colman, 45, reveals she has had to hide her Oscar from her inquisitive kids.

The Favourite star, who is married to fellow actor Ed Sinclair with whom she has three children aged three to 14, says: 'I keep my Oscar in what we call the posh room because it's a sitting room which we don't allow the kids in unless we're in there. I know it's safe and sound in there.'

Speaking at The Eve Appeal charity art auction at Bonhams in Knightsbridge, she adds: 'I used to want to be an artist but I don't think my drawings were ever that great.'

Oh well, the day job's not going so badly though, is it?

Idris larks about with his other wedding belle

Newlywed Idris Elba had another special lady at his weekend wedding — his 17-year-old daughter Isan, with whom he posed for a selfie on the big day.

The Luther actor, 46, who tied the knot with Sabrina Dhowre in Morocco, playfully stuck out his tongue while Isan smiled beside him.

Father and daughter have remained close following the breakdown of Idris's marriage to Isan's mother, Hanne Norgaard.

The pair, who were married for four years, are still on good terms.

Idris Elba jokes around at his wedding for a selfie with his 17-year-old daughter Isan

Sir David's gong is absolutely capital

With a knighthood and the Order of Merit among his gongs, Sir David Attenborough is accustomed to receiving plaudits.

Yesterday, though, the naturalist was awarded a prize he said he would treasure above others.

Attenborough, 92, was named Londoner of the Year at the London Press Club awards at Stationers' Hall in the City.

'I am particularly delighted to receive this,' he said, 'as, you might be surprised to learn, my first job was as scientific editor at the University of London Press.'

He was poached by the BBC a month later to 'start this new thing called television' at Alexandra Palace.

The rest is history.

His father had many close scrapes while reporting from the world's warzones.

Now Henry Sadler, son of former CNN correspondent Brent Sadler, has experienced his own brush with death after being dragged under water by an 8ft alligator while fossil diving in America.

Henry, 24, who teaches science at a school in Florida, kicked the reptile in the face to escape. 'The alligator is an opportunistic predator, it wants easy prey,' he says.

'I knew I couldn't be easy, that I had to fight.' Grrr!

With various would-be Tory leaders wining and dining their MP colleagues — to try to solicit their support — Treasury minister Mel Stride was giving a dinner party last night to introduce colleagues to putative candidate Michael Gove.

Former Remainer Stride is an ambitious sort and was thought more likely to back Jeremy Hunt. His support for Gove may indicate he wants to be Chancellor in a Gove government.

'I'm 60 in three years' time. How did that happen?' he asks me at the book launch of Rebel Rebel by Chris Sullivan at The Groucho Club in Soho.

'I don't feel my age. I think you always feel 25, just with more aches and pains.'

Kemp, who has been married to singer Shirlie Holliman for 31 years and has two grown-up children, adds: 'Everyone feels 25 until the day they die. And once your kids grow up and leave home, you feel young again.'

To cut a long story short.

Josh O'Connor, who plays Prince Charles in TV's The Crown, says there won't be any hanky-panky for HRH.

'I don't think so — no,' he says coyly, when asked if he filmed any royal sex scenes.

'Actually I know, no, I didn't,' he adds firmly. 'That would be a bit too much for everyone.'